My Favorite Beach Volleyball Olympian - Phil Dalhausser

Summary

Tosh Show – "My Favorite Beach Volleyball Olympian – Phil Dalhausser"

Date: November 11, 2025
Host: Daniel Tosh
Guest: Phil Dalhausser (Beach Volleyball Olympic Gold Medalist)

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Episode Overview

In this lively episode, comedian Daniel Tosh welcomes Phil Dalhausser, proclaimed as his favorite beach volleyball Olympian, for an insightful and comedic conversation. Tosh explores Phil’s journey from a late start in volleyball to Olympic glory, his experience on the pro tour, and the quirks of being a world-class athlete. True to Tosh’s style, the chat weaves between sharp banter, sincere admiration, and playful digs as they discuss sports, fame, ghost encounters, and the nuances of beach volleyball.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Volleyball Stardom & Olympic Glory

• Late Start but Rapid Rise
  • Phil began playing volleyball at 17, which is late for a pro athlete, but "just kind of a natural" and became obsessed:
    • “Man, I was just kind of a natural. I know that's kind of like a douchey thing to say, but, like, everything just came naturally to me. I became obsessed, and that's all I did.” (21:20, Phil)
• Olympic Highlights
  • Phil's crowning achievement is a gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He describes the satisfaction, especially beating a Brazilian rival:
    • “We beat this Brazilian team in the finals and I was not a big fan of one of the players because he's kind of a douche. And we won 15 to 4 in the third set, so we kind of gave him a smashing. And when we were on the podium…he was weeping, which made the moment even more special.” (18:34, Phil)
  • Tosh asks if Phil cried at the anthem. Phil didn’t, but relishes the memory.
• Legacy and Awards
  • Winner of the Michelle Akers Award at UCF; still cherishes the gold medal more, though Dalhausser pokes fun at award hierarchies (24:04).

2. Life & Culture of Pro Beach Volleyball

• The South Bay Volleyball Scene
  • Discussion on Manhattan Beach versus Hermosa Beach as volleyball capitals and regional rivalries:
    • “That's a six minute walk from one court to the other court. The peer to peer is only a mile. Hermosa capital, Manhattan Beach. Not the capital.” (17:51, Tosh)
• Breaking Up with Volleyball Partners
  • Comparisons to dating:
    • “It's like dating…You spent so much time with this person, you become friends with them, and you're like, hey, I'm gonna move on here.” (25:08, Phil)
  • Never been dumped as a partner: “I have not. No.” (25:26, Phil)

3. Athleticism, Conditioning & Tall-Guy Problems

• Physical Demands of the Sport
  • Volleyball’s athletic requirements, playing on an unstable sand surface:
    • “It does take every athletic ability and you're on an unstable surface with wind and sun in your eyes. Whatever. Something rain. So I think you may have a point.” (28:04, Phil)
• Height and Body Talk
  • Phil is 6’9”; Tosh, also tall, jokes about tall people posture and struggles with planes, clothes, and beds.
    • “What's the worst part about being 6'9"? Probably planes or finding pants. Those are the two, yeah.” (26:36, Phil)
• Weight, Diet, & Guilt
  • Phil admits to a sweet tooth and the guilt of eating junk as an athlete, but not hyper-obsessed with weight (27:30).

4. Rule Changes, Tactics & The State of the Sport

• Evolution of the Game
  • Point system, court sizes, serve targeting, and "sand volleyball" as a new discipline.
    • Tosh: “Isn't it weird that you mastered a sport that was a sport, but they just changed the surface that it's played on?”
    • Phil: “It's definite different discipline, for sure.” (32:48)
• Strategy & Fan Interference
  • Play-calling and fans potentially influencing games:
    • “Is there anything from stopping me from yelling out what the person in front is calling behind their back every time?” (31:17, Tosh)
    • “I mean, eventually someone will say something to you.” (31:22, Phil)

5. Financial Realities & Fame

• Prize Money and Making a Living
  • Earnings have declined since the 2000s:
    • “So, like, all right, say you win the two tournaments, you don't make it past the first round in the league, in playoffs, then you probably are making $40,000 in prize money…for the whole summer.” (39:24, Phil)
  • International play and sponsorship adds a bit but is still limited.
• Patriotism, Olympics, and Media Coverage
  • Tosh laments the sport’s visibility outside the Olympics and the challenges of "must-see TV" beach volleyball (38:14).

6. Personal Backstory & Family

• Phil’s Multinational Upbringing
  • Born in Switzerland, Florida-raised, chef parents, and a hypothetical alternate life in Alaska (19:00).
• Parenting and Pride
  • On his parents' skepticism and eventual pride:
    • “No, they told me to get a job.” (52:31, Phil)
    • “My third year on tour, I won my first proven.” (52:51, Phil)
  • On his children:
    • “Do your kids know that you were…the best?” — “They know now…” (53:11)
• Retirement and Giving Back
  • On coaching juniors, lack of professional coaching pay, and potentially moving on from travel (54:10 - 54:43).

7. Odds & Ends — Culture, Movies, and Miscellaneous

• Pop Culture (Top Gun, Castaway, Movies)
  • Dismisses the accuracy of volleyball in films; recounts a bounced check for appearing in "Beach Kings" (46:54, Phil).
• Hobbies and Other Sports
  • Phil enjoys disc golf, tennis, but hasn’t yet tried pickleball (50:17 - 51:28).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Beating Rivals at the Olympics:
  “We beat this Brazilian team in the finals and I was not a big fan of one of the players because he's kind of a douche. And we won 15 to 4 in the third set, so we kind of gave him a smashing. And when we were on the podium…he was weeping, which made the moment even more special.” (18:34, Phil)

• On Breaking Up with Volleyball Partners:
  “It's like dating.” (25:08, Phil)

• On Late Start in Sport:
  “Man, I was just kind of a natural…everything just came naturally to me. I became obsessed.” (21:20, Phil)

• On Professional Struggles:
  “So, like, all right, say you win the two tournaments, you don't make it past the first round in the league, in playoffs, then you probably are making $40,000 in prize money…for the whole summer.” (39:24, Phil)

• On Family’s Early Attitude:
  “They told me to get a job.” (52:31, Phil)

• On Volleyball in Movies:
  “This is the worst movie... Actually…I was living in Santa Barbara at the time, so I had to get up early, drive all the way down to Hermosa, and we shoot this couple scenes or whatever. I'm like, this is the dumbest thing ever. And I was like, all right. At least I'm going to get paid a couple bucks. So I get paid, like, I think, like 500 bucks. And the check bounced.” (46:18, Phil)

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Timestamps of Important Segments

• 1:20 – Daniel Tosh asks Phil: “How does it feel to be the best in the world at something?”
• 18:34 – Olympic gold medal victory and rivalry with Brazilian team
• 21:20 – Phil describes starting volleyball at 17 and becoming obsessed
• 25:08 – Comparing ending a volleyball partnership to breaking up
• 28:04 – Discussing athleticism required for beach volleyball
• 39:24 – How much pro beach volleyball players currently earn
• 46:18 – Phil’s “Beach Kings” movie check bounced story
• 52:31 – 53:07 – Parental pride, validation, and kids’ knowledge of his success

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Tone & Language

• Candid and irreverent, heavily laced with Daniel Tosh’s signature sarcasm and quick witted banter
• Phil is relaxed, matter-of-fact, and genuine, often indulging Tosh’s humor with dry admissions
• The episode is filled with playful jabs, athlete myth-busting, and affectionate commentary on both sport and life

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For Listeners: Why Hear This Episode?

Even if you’ve never watched a beach volleyball match, this episode’s blend of laugh-out-loud moments, sports insight, and real talk about the ups and downs of an athletic career is engaging and revealing. From locker room confessions and behind-the-scenes tour tales to the everyday struggles of tall life, Tosh and Dalhausser make the world of beach volleyball relatable, funny, and fascinating.

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End of Summary

Transcript

[A]

This episode of Tosh show is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. You chose to hit play on this podcast today. Smart choice. Make another smart choice with Auto Quote Explorer to compare rates from multiple car insurance companies all at once. Try [e-mail] Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates not available in all states or situations. Prices vary based on how you buy AI Agents are everywhere, automating tasks and making decisions at machine speed. But agents make mistakes. Just one rogue agent can do big damage before you even notice. Rubrik Agent Cloud is the only platform that helps you monitor agents, set guardrails, and rewind mistakes so you can unleash agents, not risk. Accelerate your AI [e-mail] that's R U V R I K. Hey, guys, it's me, Daniel. Do me a solid. I don't ask for a lot, but like and subscribe to this podcast also, you could rate it highly. I would appreciate, maybe even write a review. Maybe we become best friends. How does it feel to be the best in the world at something?

[B]

Feels pretty good.

[A]

Posh show, posh show, posh show. Welcome to Tosh Show. Have my son hit him with a.

[B]

Hootie hoo, hooty hoo hoo. More hooty hoo.

[A]

Hit him with another hootie hoo, hooty hoo. That's my boy. How you doing, Eddie?

[B]

I'm doing good. How are you doing?

[A]

I'm well. You ever had those new Arby's steak nuggets?

[B]

Not at all.

[A]

I feel like Arby's. I don't want to make fun of fast food because I don't eat it. I get it. They're just trolling at this point. This is. This is the most disgusting thing I've ever seen. By the way, if Arby's is a sponsor, you shouldn't be. Just turn it off because I'm about to say awful things. It's just gross. They're little nuggets. They're just pieces, little tiny pieces of steak. And they have a commercial and they just show them and it comes in like a whatever used fry cup that they recycled. And now there's just little things of gross meat. Are you supposed to use your fingers? This is disgusting. It's just disturbing that anyone would find this acceptable. It's steak. Can I get it medium rare? Do they allow you to do that at the drive through? Speaking of eating disgusting, yesterday I did the unthinkable. Okay, what'd you do? I went to a Lakers basketball game. Something that my wife has always asked if I would do. I would take her. And the opportunity came to bring someone, and I said, I'm not gonna bring her. I brought my son.

[B]

Oh, I mean, I like it.

[A]

Yeah. They were playing the Miami Heat. The game was at 6:30. So I'm like, this is a perfect time for me to take my son. The traffic won't be bad. You know, I'm not, I'm not going to buy tickets. My agent, David Sherman, called me, asked if I wanted to go, and I said, hey, I think the answer is yes.

[B]

That's crazy.

[A]

My friend, My other. My friend Danny, he came. It was just. It was wonderful. By the way, David Sherman, I believe he might be Steph Curry's agent too. And he's from Florida. He went to fsu. Seminal. Perfect. Yeah, he's a big Dolphin fan too. He still watches the Dolphins. Danny and I have almost given up this year. So here's how. Here's how it went down. I. We drive there. I have valet parking, so that's going to be easy, except for my navigation system tells me to go down a road downtown Los Angeles that is blocked off. So now I'm panicked, but I. I get ushered to a different parking structure, and I'm like, no, no, I have valet. And they're like, sir, that's great. Just go down in this parking structure. You'll go underneath and you'll exit out and it'll bring you right to next to the building. I'm like, oh, thank goodness. Because I. I was worried sick that I was going to have to park and then walk in a structure.

[B]

Right.

[A]

I didn't. Right up next to. To the stadium. I valet. I made sure I brought cash. Tipping valet is always confusing because everyone tips when they get their car, but that's not the same person that drops it off, and that's the person that can do some real damage to the car. You know, they got, they, they're the ones that you want to make happy. I tip when I drop it off and when I pick it up. You don't do that, do you?

[B]

Not just pick up.

[A]

I figured they share it at the end, but I feel like it hoses. I feel like it hoses. The first guy, you say they share it. Give a guy a hundred dollar bill and see if he like, puts it into the big coffee pot. I bet he doesn't. I don't know. They probably do share it. But anyway, I tip on both sides. I brought two twenties. The only time I have cash in my life is for valets. Okay? So I Tip. My son and I are very excited. We go into the stadium, we go down. It's always good when you go down.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Ground floor and you go down. Now we're in a tunnel. We get to go to a Delta sky lounge where there's food. Oh, that's nice. We're just eating. I started simple. I had some spaghetti sushi. I had spaghetti sushi, a plant based hot dog. Sour Patch Kids, Reese's pieces, M&M's a donut half. It was just. It was the top half of a donut. They were doing some fancy dessert on it. Again. I got there 25 minutes early. I got to kill time.

[B]

Killing time.

[A]

But so I'm having a full meal. And it was all. It was all great. It was all fine. The pasta was delicious. Then we go to our seats. I'm with David Sherman. You know, he's just. It's just nice. It's just fun. And I had floor seats. I was among the elite. I was sitting right next to J.J. redick. I was next to the. I was the first seat past the coaches bench for the Lakers listening in. Oh, my goodness, did I hear stuff? And we're sitting there and the players are right next to me. One of the coaches for the Lakers, he's a second row coach.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Just the whole time time just shouting so loud. He's just yelling at Luca. Cook him. Cook him.

[B]

Great, great.

[A]

Cook him.

[B]

Great direction.

[A]

Cook him. I'm like, okay, we get it. You like the matchup. Also had a Marcus Smart. Get a technical. He went crazy. I had. I let my son know. Okay, that guy, you know, I'm saying stuff to the players constantly. Uh, but I go, we don't, we don't say anything to Marcus. Marcus. Marcus will run our test. Us.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Uh, we, we, we. We got to keep it cool with Marcus. Here's something, you know, people always say, oh, I worry about the NBA being fixed. And we all know that it. Apparently it is. You know, if you.

[B]

The poker games are.

[A]

Depends on who you got on your team. But I, I personally found a way to fix the game. Okay. I'm, as a Miami Heat fan, I'm sitting there every time out. I'm watching JJ draw plays on his little dry erase board. I take my phone out, I lift it up, and I take a photo. What's keeping me from not sitting there and then texting my buddy that works for the Heat on the other benchmade? This is what they're doing. This play. This is good. Why can't I do that? You can do it, right? Well, I'm just saying if I could do that, and I've got video evidence to show that I could. Right. What's stopping other people from doing this?

[B]

I mean, maybe there's something on the back of the ticket, but who cares?

[A]

That says you can't take photos of the plays.

[B]

This affects David, not you. You're fine.

[A]

I don't think they can stop you. I think they need to look into this. Now.

[B]

Did I enjoy calling for an investigation?

[A]

Well, I'm just. I'm just pointing out a clearly broke system. I mean, if I'm going To be honest, LeBron's not playing, which, if you're sitting courtside and you're right next to him, it kind of doesn't matter. You're still getting to see. I'm like, there. There's. Son, there's LeBron. I complimented LeBron's sweater. I said, I like that sweater. I was like, that's a good sweater. No interaction with me. This game. You watch the Lakers and you watch Luca and you watch. What's the other white dude?

[B]

Austin Reeves.

[A]

You watch Austin Reeves and you're like, is this what, like, good basketball was like in the 40s? I'm like, this is showtime. This is embarrassing. They're all flopping. They're all complaining about no calls, Both teams, even the Heat because Tyler Herro wasn't playing. Although there's a white person with some swag. I mean, if you. If you told me Luca was a superstar and I didn't know the game, I'd be like, what? That guy's a superstar. Like, it's not. It's not fun to watch, by the way. Nobody was missing. Both teams were shooting over 50%. They had, like, 70 something at the half. Here's. Here's what I'll say as a basketball fan. So I'm a fan, right. I don't enjoy it. Best seat in the house. Oh, most famous stadium. I'm still like. If you're not paying attention intensely, you kind of. You forget the score.

[B]

You wander.

[A]

Yeah. It's like.

[B]

It's.

[A]

It's not like watching on TV where the scores in front of you, everything. I've just, you know, I. I don't need to do it again. My wife was so jealous. Yeah. I was like, well, just watch us, like, be happy for your son getting to do something. You probably wondered how my stomach held up.

[B]

Yeah, that is true.

[A]

Rock solid. It. It handled it. How did it work for my friend Danny? Not so. He also has trouble so on the way home, he lives close. I was dropping him off at his house. He lives near the Pantages in a high rise. Pantages was letting out. He's like, I'm not gonna make it. He was having my panic. I pull up right in front. I roll the windows down. My son's in the back. And I just start screaming, guys. I'm yelling, guys, out of the way. My buddy's got a poop. My son is just laughing so hard. Cause everybody's just turning and laughing and looking at us. And he jumps out of my truck, and he runs through a wall of people that I'm like, guys, make way. Danny's got a poop. I kept yelling his name, Danny's got a poop. And they're like, oh, people just loved it. My son loved it. As soon as he got home that night, he told my wife. That was the story told. He goes, dad was just screaming at everybody that Danny had a poop.

[B]

I like. That's the story he brought back. That's great.

[A]

Here's another thing. I watch the game. I'm watching these players, and I'm like, oh, when you're up that close, are you just like, look at how big they're. No, I'm like, I'm just as big. I mean, you are six four, right? No, nobody there. I mean, like, yes, the centers are big, but everybody else is just. It's like, I feel like I could still play a quarter. I feel like if you put me in for a quarter, I'm. You know, they're going to exploit me as the matchup, but it's not going to be, like, glaring. Cook them. Cook them. You're going to need to double team. We'll send help, but whatever. But, yeah, they're tall. They don't blow me away. Today's guest, he's a beast. Enjoy. This episode is brought to you by prize picks. You and I make decisions every day, but on prize picks. Being right can get you paid. Don't miss any of the excitement this season on prize picks, where it's good to be right. Remember, prize picks is simple to play. Just pick more or less on at least two players stat projections, and you can get in on that action in more than 40 states. Daniel, are you focusing your picks this week on the NFL or NBA? Why choose? You can combine them in the same lineup. Watch Miami play from Spain at the crack of dawn and then settle into your day games. Anyone on the Dolphins offense? I'm picking more. Anyone on the Heats offense? I'm picking less. I'm not a homer. I'm realistic and I want to win. Download the app today and use Code tosh to get $50 in the lineups after you play your first five dollar lineup. That's code TOSH. You get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup. Prize picks it's good to be right Prize picks you may have heard of Built this is where you get to earn points in your monthly rent payment. But did you know they make it possible for you to get more outside of your home too if you're paying rent every month without earning anything in return? Let me introduce you to bilt, the rewards program designed for renters who want to earn something for their largest monthly expense. Let me explain. BILT is turning a monthly expense into an opportunity to earn rewards and discover the best that your neighborhood has to offer. Your rent is finally working for you. By paying rent through bilt, you earn flexible points that can be redeemed toward hundreds of hotels and airlines, a future rent payment, your next Lyft ride, and more. Earn points on rent and around your neighborhood, wherever you call home, by going to joinbilt.com tosh that's joinbilt. J O I N B I L T.com tosh tosh make sure to use our URL so they know that I sent you. You guys know I want AG1 for all the prebiotics, probiotics, and enzymes I can get to help support regularity and gut resilience. I don't know how they want you to interpret regularity and gut resilience, but it sure sounds like AG1 is saying that you'll poop your pants less often. Which, needless to say, is a good thing. What better to add to my morning routine than something that will allegedly help me poop my pants less? But AG1 isn't only about keeping your shorts clean. No, you get plenty of other benefits. Whether the weather turns cold or especially if you've got little kids at home sneezing in your face, you'll want all the antioxidants and immune resilience you can get. Superfoods and B vitamins support steady energy with without the crash, a full spectrum of micronutrients from Whole Foods help fill nutrition gaps. I don't think they're allowed to say that it's everything your body needs, but it's close. Head to drinkag1.comtosh to get a free welcome kit with an AG1 flavor sampler and a bottle of vitamin D3 plus K2 when you first subscribe, that's drinkag1.comtosh car show. My guest today has dominated the world of professional beach volleyball for nearly two decades. Fueled only by sunscreen and coconut water, he's competed in four Olympic Games, winning a gold medal in 2008. Please welcome my fellow University of Central Florida alumni, Phil Dolhouser.

[B]

Oh, thanks for having me. Charge on. Huh?

[A]

Is that what the Knights say? Charge on?

[B]

Yeah, I guess it's him.

[A]

Did you ever do this?

[B]

Ucf When I went. When I went there, yeah.

[A]

You did that one? Yeah. I never knew which way the sea would go. I was always like, oh, better stare at everybody. All right. I just did the intro with my shirt off because I felt that would be nice since you always have to work with your shirt off.

[B]

I appreciate it.

[A]

You're welcome. Do you believe in ghosts?

[B]

I do, yes.

[A]

You got any proof?

[B]

I don't have proof, but I've had, like, I guess, encounters. I didn't actually see them, but some weird shit has gone on in houses I lived at.

[A]

You were like, in a haunted house, man.

[B]

I don't know. It's just weird things like kitchen cabinet doors opening on that.

[A]

Happens all the time. Cabinets aren't.

[B]

It's actually a house up in the hills in Santa Barbara. Just an old house and weird things that happen. I don't know. I'm glad I don't live there anymore.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

All right. You went through it, by the way. Let me just. Let me set the foundation here of it. I am a huge fan.

[B]

I appreciate it.

[A]

Just love it here. Watch me gush on for a minute. I don't know a ton about volleyball, and you'll figure that out almost immediately, but, I mean, very passionately will. Watch beach fog. I've watched you forever, just like, oh, this is. It's the best. I lived in South Bay for a long time.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

By Hermosa Beach. I would. I would get up in the morning. I didn't have a real job. I was a comedian. There's a little donut shop right across from this little park there. The point is, I used to get my donuts and I would just sit on the strand on the little brick walkway, and I just watch all of the up and coming and some pro volleyball players just practice in the morning.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah.

[A]

Do you ever live there?

[B]

I did, yeah, for, I don't know, like, three, four years. But I lived in Santa Barbara and then moved to Ventura and then Thousand Oaks over the mountains here, and then ended up down South Bay.

[A]

It's just huge down there. The beach volleyball scene, it's like the.

[B]

Mecca of beach volleyball.

[A]

Yeah, I always found that weird on the tour when the tour used to be more readily available. I don't know if it was more popular. Was it more popular?

[B]

More popular?

[A]

Okay, fine. They'd be like, oh, you know, this week we're live from Manhattan beach, and then next week they were live from Hermosa beach and acted as if that.

[B]

Was a big deal. Like a big difference.

[A]

Right?

[B]

Yeah. Yeah.

[A]

That's a six minute walk from one court to the other court. The peer to peer is only a mile. Hermosa capital, Manhattan Beach. Not the capital.

[B]

Other way around.

[A]

Manhattan beach is the capital.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Oh, that stings. Because Hermosa is always the second fiddle to Manhattan Beach. Manhattan beach, higher property value. Mimosa a little more cool, artsy, whatever. Redondo beach gets nothing.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You ever played beach volleyball in Redondo Beach?

[B]

A couple times, but nobody wants to go down to Verandon.

[A]

Nobody wants to play in Redondo Beach. Oh, that's a shame. How does it feel to be the best in the world at something?

[B]

Feels pretty good. I will say winning a gold medal in beach volleyball was amazing.

[A]

Did you cry during the anthem?

[B]

No, but we beat this Brazilian team in the finals and I was not a big fan of one of the players because he's kind of a douche. And we won 15 to 4 in the third set, so we kind of gave him a smashing. And when we were on the podium.

[A]

Did you win the first set?

[B]

We won the first set, lost the second and won the third. And on the podium he was weeping, which made the moment even more special.

[A]

Did they play the national anthem extra quick because it was in Beijing.

[B]

I don't remember. Okay. Yeah.

[A]

Sometimes I feel like they speed through it pretty quick.

[B]

Yeah, maybe.

[A]

You were born in Switzerland, moved to Alaska, and then Daytona Beach, Florida, all before the age of three. Who were your parents running from?

[B]

Well, my mom's Swiss and my dad is German. Actually, he was kind of bouncing back forth as a chef from Europe to the US And I don't know, he got a job in Alaska.

[A]

You imagine if you would have, like, your lived out your life in Alaska? It's a beautiful place. We all like Alaska for.

[B]

It would have been terrible.

[A]

Oh, it would have been terrible.

[B]

Florida's a little better.

[A]

Is there any beach volleyball in Alaska?

[B]

I haven't been back since.

[A]

You've never been back?

[B]

No.

[A]

I feel like you should play beach volleyball in the snow, They've never done that as like some big tournament.

[B]

There's actually now snow volleyball. There is, yeah.

[A]

I don't like this.

[B]

I'm not a big fan either, but I have played twice in the snow. Once in Russia and another time in Lake Tahoe. Just a random storm came through and snowed on us.

[A]

Did you play every sport growing up?

[B]

Yeah, for the most part, like. But my main sports growing up were tennis and baseball.

[A]

What were you in baseball?

[B]

First base and pitcher.

[A]

You got fast twitch still or is it gone? Is it all.

[B]

It's still a little bit there, but not 100%.

[A]

You went to Daytona Beach High School when Vince Carter was. You were a senior when he was a freshman.

[B]

No, vice versa. I was a freshman, he was a.

[A]

Senior, you were a freshman, he was a senior. Now I was at UCF over there at that time, and we came to watch Vince play high school basketball.

[B]

Oh, really?

[A]

Yep. Yeah, it was a tough ticket to get.

[B]

Yeah, you had to wait in line.

[A]

I think we all agree black people in general are cooler than white people. His nickname, I'm not saying it's a lot better than yours, but the Thin Beast versus his, which was half man, half amazing.

[B]

I mean, both pretty bad if you ask me.

[A]

I think half man, half amazement was just pretty nice. All right, you win. Did you hate your nickname?

[B]

I mean, I thought it was a little cheesy, I guess.

[A]

Nail on head.

[B]

It was nice to have a nickname. I guess I was good enough to have a nickname.

[A]

You started playing volleyball at 17? Yep. And you just immediately took to it? Because that's late in life for most professional athletes.

[B]

Man, I was just kind of a natural. I know that's kind of like a douchey thing to say, but, like, everything just came naturally to me. I became obsessed, and that's all I did. When I went to school at ucf, they had. I don't know if you were. When you were there. They had four lit volleyball courts, beach courts. And I spent a lot of time out there, cut my teeth, I guess, like getting my reps in and didn't want to get a real job when I graduated, so I was.

[A]

Did you actually graduate?

[B]

I did, yeah.

[A]

What's your degree in?

[B]

Business administration.

[A]

Business marketing. What was your GPA?

[B]

Just under 3.0.

[A]

Just under 3.0. Were you embarrassed about UCF when you went to UCF?

[B]

No, because.

[A]

Well, you went later than I did. I went at a time when UCF wasn't at the same tier as going to UF or FSU.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Or certainly Miami. It was, you know, known as kind of a heavy commuter school. But then I feel like I changed all of that and then made it more popular than. You went in there with those Blair Witch Project kids.

[B]

Yeah. So you were in the mid, mid-90s, I guess. Okay.

[A]

How long did it take you to graduate?

[B]

Four and a half years.

[A]

Three and a half. Oh, okay. I was gifted.

[B]

Dang.

[A]

Is there a beach volleyball program now at ucf?

[B]

No, there isn't.

[A]

Okay. This is what has to happen for your legacy. There should be, like, a full stadium court named after you at ucf.

[B]

Oh, that'd be cool.

[A]

Have you gone back there to do anything?

[B]

We go watch basketball games.

[A]

I. I'm gonna. I'm gonna become your PR person. I'm in charge of everything now. Let's. We're gonna make that. I want. I. Ucf. I'll come back, but not until Phil has his own beach volleyball center. Any young talent coming out of Orlando right now in the volleyball scene?

[B]

No, Orlando's not exactly a beach volleyball hotbed. I'm trying to change that. We coach juniors there.

[A]

So you can't play with anybody, can you?

[B]

No, not really, no. I mean, I could, but it just. The level wouldn't be as high.

[A]

You really got lucky that you stumbled into volleyball.

[B]

I did, yeah. I really did.

[A]

I mean, where you were in Orlando.

[B]

I played one year in high school, and my indoor coach was a beach player, and he took us down to the beach, and I was like, oh, this is way more fun than indoors. And then I just stuck with it and worked out.

[A]

I mean, how good did it feel to get to the top of the mountain to be the best at something that you loved?

[B]

Oh, it was pretty cool.

[A]

Did you feel good about it?

[B]

Yeah, I did.

[A]

I mean, you still feel good about it, I guess.

[B]

You know, you put so much time and effort into something and for it to work out.

[A]

Right. Some people don't appreciate it, though.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

They're like, I got close to the mountaintop. And then I was like, you know what? Nah, I don't think it's much better up there. So I'm going to stop here. You won the Michelle Eckers Award.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You were the winner. Before I won it, I won it following you, and Cheryl Hines won it before you. Now, should she have to return hers because her husband has worked diligently to bring measles back to America?

[B]

Cheryl Hines?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah. I mean, it's kind of messed up, I guess.

[A]

She's. By the way, what are you More proud of winning your Michelle Eckers award or gold medal from Beijing.

[B]

I'm going to go gold medal?

[A]

You serious?

[B]

Yeah. I was honored to receive the. The Michelle Akers award, but gold medal is a little better.

[A]

Where do you keep yours? Cuz I might have given mine away to a guest.

[B]

Tucked in, I don't know, wherever all my other trophies are.

[A]

You have a trophy room? You have a trophy house? Do you have a trophy?

[B]

No, I.

[A]

Storage unit.

[B]

There's a couple cool trophies you get around on. On the world tour that I keep out. Like. And in Norway you get like a Viking sword, like a legit sword. And in Switzerland you get like a big cowbell. Those are kind of cool. So I keep those out.

[A]

By the way, how hard is it to break up with your partner?

[B]

It's like dating.

[A]

Of course it is.

[B]

Yeah. It's not easy. It's. I've had some tough conversations, especially like if, all right, you know, you spent so much time with this person, you become friends with them and you're like, hey, I'm gonna move on here.

[A]

Because none of them want to leave you. Have you ever been dumped?

[B]

I have not. No.

[A]

You've never been dumped?

[B]

No.

[A]

Oh, that's probably gonna happen.

[B]

It's a good feeling.

[A]

If you keep going, eventually tell a 53 year old we don't want them. Yeah, we know. You're 6 9, by the way. Are you 69 or you've been 68 your whole life but you thought 69 was funnier?

[B]

No, I'm spot on. 6 9.

[A]

Are you still 6 9? Are you shrinking yet?

[B]

I think I'm standing up a little taller now because my posture's better. So maybe I'm six nine and a half now. Maybe.

[A]

Were you ashamed of being tall? Were you one of those tall people that walked around like a little bit?

[B]

Yeah. Because I didn't like attention and people would always ask me if I played basketball. And so I thought maybe subconsciously, like if I walked around like that, I wouldn't look as tall maybe.

[A]

I always think it's fine. My wife will accuse me of it. I'm six four. And she always like, quit acting like you're so tall. And like. Because I like lumber places. Yeah, my brother teases me too. He's. He's six four. Do you have a good vertical?

[B]

Not so much anymore. I'm 45, but back in the day I was probably close to 40 inches.

[A]

That's real.

[B]

I mean, not on the sand, but indoor, you know. But yeah, I mean, I guess it's real. Yeah.

[A]

What's the worst part about being six, nine?

[B]

Probably planes or finding pants. Those, those two things. Those are the two, yeah.

[A]

What about beds? You sleep on a cow king?

[B]

Yeah, we do. Yeah, we have one.

[A]

Do you cheat the angle a little bit?

[B]

No, those are long enough.

[A]

They're long enough.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah. But like, if you go to Europe, like I played a lot in Europe and those are not cow kings. Those are the size of this table here.

[A]

Your wife is tall.

[B]

She's 5 10.

[A]

That's a lot of body in bed. Jeez, that's between the two. You might need to go with a custom bed. Your weight, how much did you weigh? Let's say when you started playing professional, like 21, 22. What was your weight then?

[B]

Probably like around 190.

[A]

190?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

And today I have her in between 202 or 5.

[A]

Do you care about your weight?

[B]

No, not really.

[A]

Is your body a temple?

[B]

Yeah, sure.

[A]

Do you like, care about every single thing that goes in your mouth?

[B]

Man, it drives me crazy. Honestly, like, if I. I can't completely enjoy Snickers in the back of my mind, I'm like, I shouldn't be eating this.

[A]

Oh, so do you have a sweet tooth?

[B]

I do a little bit.

[A]

I just constantly. But then again, you see me without a shirt on and you know, it's disgusting. It's not good. People often talk about soccer, tennis, or basketball as the most athletic sports because of how much the athletes are moving. But I believe beach volleyball players blow that out of the water. I mean, you're running in sand for over an hour. Would you say that you're like the most well conditioned athletes?

[B]

It does take every athletic ability and you're on an unstable surface with wind and sun in your eyes. Whatever. Something rain. So I think you may have a point.

[A]

Do you like sand?

[B]

I don't mind being sandy.

[A]

That's so annoying. Yeah, I'm a surfer, but I don't like, I don't like being sand. Do you like getting dressed after you've been playing on the beach and you're covered in sand?

[B]

I usually shower off.

[A]

Well, I know, but some people don't have a shower right now. I'm saying sometimes you gotta like go home or something. How many calories you think you burn during a match? You ever figured that out?

[B]

I think it was around 7, 800 or so.

[A]

What do you eat before, like tournaments in the morning?

[B]

Like, I don't eat that much. I don't want to be, but I usually get most of my calories at the end of the day.

[A]

When do you prefer to play?

[B]

I want to get it over in the morning.

[A]

You want to play volleyball in the morning?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

What about a tournament? Your preference would be in the morning?

[B]

I'd rather. Yeah, two matches, like, say, nine and one o', clock, and then I have the rest of my day. Otherwise, I'm sitting around waiting to play, and that kind of drives me crazy.

[A]

What about a night match? You don't think that's cool as.

[B]

Yeah, they're. They're definitely more entertaining because more people are there usually.

[A]

Do you care about the crowds or.

[B]

No, not really.

[A]

No, you don't.

[B]

You're. But it's. I mean, obviously more people out there, the better for the sport, so I want a big crowd for that reason.

[A]

How often you've taken a spike to the face?

[B]

A lot.

[A]

A lot.

[B]

Because when I'm blocking, my head's right there.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[B]

And I've gotten a few stitches a couple times here and.

[A]

Oh, they bust you open. Yeah, that's tough. What's going on behind your back? I mean, we have plays. Are we just saying who we're hitting it to?

[B]

Yeah. So there's a little bit of both. We have plays. Right. Because it's kind of like a chess match. I don't know how deep you want to get.

[A]

Well, I can get into it, but I guess in my head I'm like, is it chess or, let's be clear, is it closer to checkers? You want to keep the ball up, right?

[B]

Yeah, exactly. Because when the ball's in there and the guy's about to hit it, he can see the other side of the court. So he sees the movement of the fender and blocker. So you kind of like try to trick him into hitting it into the block or to the defender. So that's kind of the idea.

[A]

I always find it fascinating, I. E. Is it rigged how you can be so dominant in your first set and then shit the bed in the second one? I never understand how the swings are that dramatic. It's like you're clearly better than them. Now you lost. You just. You just won eight minutes ago. Is it that evenly matched?

[B]

Like, the top teams are, like, they're not much better than each other. Right. If you win easily in the first set, you tend to take the foot off the gas a little bit, like, oh, this is going to be easy. And then all of a sudden you're down, whatever, 19, 17 in the second set, and you're like, probably going to go three.

[A]

Now you have a coach that's there with you that can call timeout. Are they helping you? Really?

[B]

A good coach?

[A]

Can they know what buttons to push or is it actually strategy that they've picked up on?

[B]

They'll pick up something what the other team's doing, usually.

[A]

You cheating? Basically.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah. Stealing signs.

[A]

Is that. Is that worth it to steal signs, people?

[B]

No. Like, it'd be frowned upon.

[A]

Well, how come fans don't do it?

[B]

They do, and then players get pissed at them.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Is there anything from stopping me from yelling out what the person in front is calling behind their back every time?

[B]

I mean, eventually someone will say something to you.

[A]

I'm not allowed to do that as a fan, is what you're saying.

[B]

I mean, there's no written rule. Okay, so.

[A]

Well, then start inviting me to matches, Phil.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

I'll start calling everything out.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Till it gets real uncomfortable. London beach volleyball, where you get a point even if you're not serving. When did that change?

[B]

2001.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Okay. At least it was during my lifetime of caring about this. Just because I just don't really. I never got the bulletin that it was going to change. Now, did you prefer that rule change?

[B]

Yeah, because at the. At the same time, they made the court shorter.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

It was 9 by 9 meters and went to 8 by 8 meters.

[A]

I don't know meters. Okay, Well, I was only in Germany for two years.

[B]

Yeah. But so I have less court to deal with when I'm blocking.

[A]

You like to hit on two, not so much.

[B]

Oh, yeah.

[A]

You always serve to the weaker opponent.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Do they ever serve to you?

[B]

Some teams would because they'd have, like, really good serves. And passing was never my strong suit. Like, it was the weakest part of my game because no one ever served me. So they had, like, a team that had really good serves. They would go after me.

[A]

Your serve, which became the greatest serve ever, wasn't the greatest serve ever when you started though, right?

[B]

No. Yeah. You put some time into it. Yeah.

[A]

I mean. Well, I'm just saying it wasn't like your serve became, like, fierce.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

By the way, what's the deal with beach volleyball? The tour now, the definition of beach, has that just gone away completely?

[B]

It's kind of sand volleyball now.

[A]

Isn't it weird that you mastered a sport that was a sport, but they just changed the surface that it's played on?

[B]

It's. It's definite different Discipline, for sure.

[A]

I mean, how different is it?

[B]

Well, it's all right. Obviously, you're on sand compared to hard court. Right. And it's two on two. It's smaller court now. It used to be the same size.

[A]

It's impossible to cover that much.

[B]

Yeah, a little more difficult. To me, it was always more fun.

[A]

Of course, you're in the, at the beach. Yeah, it seems cooler. It always seems cooler. I was always beach volleyball, and then the Olympics has turned me into a complete fan where I also just love indoor volleyball. And that's probably because of Karch. I was a fan. I was like, oh, look at this. And then he's, he's making the girls, like, dominant. I, I, I got into watching it.

[B]

Yeah. I don't know if you know much about Karch.

[A]

I don't know much about him other than it's possibly the coolest name.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Karch Karai.

[B]

He's won two gold medals playing indoor, one gold medal on the beach playing, and then coached gold, silver, and bronze for the women, and now he's the indoor coach for the men.

[A]

When you first got onto the pro tour, was he still on the pro tour?

[B]

Yeah, I had the pleasure of playing him a couple times.

[A]

Win or lose.

[B]

I beat him once, and then he beat me probably, like, I don't know, three or four times.

[A]

Another question about the volleyball, where it's at right now, are we over? Is it ump or is it ref? Are we over them? Can we have computers do all of this?

[B]

I think we're pretty close, actually. Like, now they, at the big tournaments, they have, like, video review and stuff, so.

[A]

But it seems so simple. Like, it's just so many few. It's not like football, where there's a bazillion things going on, like a net.

[B]

Touch or touching off a block or something.

[A]

The end. How many tournaments do you think? Do you have any that you can think of where it's like a bad call cost you the tournament completely?

[B]

No, I can't think of nothing.

[A]

You ever punch a ref?

[B]

No, but my old partner, actually, he had a little bit of a temper and he didn't agree with the reference. And his next set, he turned and tried to hit him. He hit the ball at the ref on the upstand. He missed, thankfully, because, like, if he would have hit this ref and the ref tumbles off the stand, right then.

[A]

He would have gotten what he wanted.

[B]

Yeah. But he got the biggest avp, which is the pro tour fine ever as a player. And that was $5,000.

[A]

Oh, it was only 5,000. Did you pay it for him when you're a partner. Do you split the prize money 50. 50, even though you're doing the heavy lifting?

[B]

You know I do.

[A]

I mean, that doesn't seem fair. That's like bands that share. Like, the drummer gets the same pay as the lead singer. It's like, I know that band's going to break up. Who was your least favorite partner? Go ahead.

[B]

That's tough. Like, my.

[A]

You don't have to answer that.

[B]

I will answer that. Two partners that come in mind, they're both a little shorter. And both were angry, and they got angry at me a lot. Even though you just said yourself, I did most heavy lifting, and they still got angry with me. But Todd Rogers and Nick Lucena.

[A]

Oh, man, you're 45. You kind of said this was going to be my swan song year, but you did pretty well. And you're saying, I'm probably going to go again another year. This is my gripe with athletes, and I want you to hear it as a fan.

[B]

All right?

[A]

Okay. Fucking shut up and just play as long as you want. Yeah, keep going.

[B]

Hey, I learned my lesson.

[A]

Just keep going. If two years go by and you're like, oh, I want to play again, I say do it if you have the means. Yeah, it's better than anything else you're going to do.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I mean, it's so fun.

[B]

I messed up.

[A]

How much of your Olympic career did you spend answering questions about Walsh and Misty May?

[B]

I mean, I definitely answer a few questions about them, that's for sure.

[A]

Are you friends with them?

[B]

I know them pretty well. Yeah. More Carrie than Misty.

[A]

That's. I think what it was that that became the perfect storm for why I became obsessed with watching. It was because you came along at the same time that they popped. And it was like we were just so dominant as a country. I was like, oh, this is fun. Yeah, this is fun to watch.

[B]

I mean, they were pretty darn good.

[A]

Hold on, let me. I'm curious about something real fast. This shouldn't take me more than two seconds. My wife, I just got to ask her something. One thing about a volleyball player. They grew up in Florida.

[B]

Hello.

[A]

Hey. Oh, don't say hello like that on. It's just hello. It's just hello. Yeah. Oh, got into soccer. Hi, honey.

[B]

Hey, sweets.

[A]

Oh, that's how we talk. Hey, who's that girl you know, grew up with that went to the Olympics for volleyball?

[B]

Brooke Youngquist. Brooke Sweat. She became Brooke Sweat.

[A]

She became Brooke Sweat. But she was Brooke. Yeah, I was in high school with her. Brooke Youngquist.

[B]

Brooke Youngquist.

[A]

Okay. That's all I wanted. I'll talk to you later. I'm here with Phil. You want to say hi to Phil? Okay.

[B]

Hey, Phil. Hi, Phil. All right.

[A]

She's. She's a Florida gator.

[B]

Ah.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Oh, I know Brooke.

[A]

You know Brooke?

[B]

I do, yeah.

[A]

Yeah. Carly grew up with Brooke. Let me tell you something else, too. I just. The joy that you bring. I love the Olympics. It's probably the only time I am faintly patriotic, but man, volleyball really does. They figured it out for the Olympics. It's so. It's so entertaining. Even in Paris they featured it. It was like under the Eiffel Tower. They got that this was the main of. Yet they can't figure it out year round. How to make it like must see tv.

[B]

Yeah, it's kind of turning into like swimming or gymnastics. Like, it's just Olympic sport. Unfortunately, I don't agree.

[A]

I just. I just don't know how to fix it. I don't have the ideas. Like, if you were to ask me, who would you. Would you rather be, Michael Phelps or you? I would say you. Like, that's a clear winner. Yes, of course. He's the most decorated athlete of all time. But swimming, it's like. I get it. You were the fastest in the water. That's not entertaining. I mean, it is on some. I cheer. Don't get me wrong. I cheer for Michael Phelps. Just saying.

[B]

Probably way more money than I do.

[A]

Listen, let's talk dollars, okay? AVP Tour. You're the. You're the. In the top four teams. What kind of living can you make?

[B]

So right now, I mean, I don't know how far you want to get into this, but they change like the tour a little into like a league, NBA. So they only take the top eight teams into the league, men and women. And then with that, you get two other tournaments. So, like, all right, say you win the two tournaments, you don't make it past the first round in the. In the league, in playoffs, then you probably are making $40,000 in prize money.

[A]

Somewhere around there for just that one tournament.

[B]

For the whole.

[A]

For the whole year?

[B]

Yeah, for the whole summer?

[A]

Yeah. I didn't want to hear that.

[B]

Yeah, but that's all right. So the top teams, they go play internationally, which has a little more prize money, but not that much more.

[A]

Okay, but that's prize money. So then if you offset it with. With sponsorship. I know it's not great. It's not great, but it's not. I mean, you can make a. You can make a good living? Yes.

[B]

Yeah. I mean, prize money is way better in the 2000s and 2010s, but lately it's just kind of gone downhill.

[A]

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[B]

No, I don't. I don't play world tour anymore. And so in order to qualify for the Olympics, you got to play world tour.

[A]

Okay, but let's talk about this Olympics because I have a problem with this. Okay. Every time I watch the Olympics, are you just laughing at my stupidity?

[B]

No, no, no. You're entertaining.

[A]

Every time I. Every time I watch the volleyball, I get so furious because there'll be some. I don't want to speak out. There'll be some random country. And I like, oh, look, both of Those players are U.S. athletes, but they fucking got grandfathered. By the way, some, like, guys that couldn't make the US Squad knocked out the US Squad in Paris. I forgot who they were, but they were some. Some country that just loopholed them in and said, you're now citizens. You know what I'm talking about?

[B]

Qatar.

[A]

Yeah, sure. Guitar. They do some shady shit. So could you do that? Can you just go to another country?

[B]

So they actually just stopped that rule, so you can't do it anymore.

[A]

Well, that's good.

[B]

I missed my window. Window.

[A]

What about Switzerland? I think. Could you go back for your home country and play for them?

[B]

I don't think so.

[A]

Why not? Are there better Switzerland players than you?

[B]

Well, I probably could make the team, but, like, just because of the rule, because I played for the US I can't play for another country.

[A]

Okay. All right. I'm just trying to get you back. I want you to play in L. A because it's kind of. That'll be a fun one.

[B]

It'll be.

[A]

Yeah, you need at least a role in it. You know, you'll be courtside doing whatever.

[B]

Or I don't know if TV's my thing, you know?

[A]

How many Olympics would that be? That be. Five.

[B]

Five. Yeah.

[A]

There's no scenario where you're going to, like, try to find a way to get into the 28 Olympics.

[B]

It would be like, I'd have to go play, like, these small tournaments in, like, as and like, to get points, and it'd be like a whole thing.

[A]

So, yeah, I mean, it's. It to me, it's like the end of an era for me then. I don't want to close this. This book yet.

[B]

Sorry to.

[A]

You're my. Pete Sampras.

[B]

Pete Sampras. That's a good name.

[A]

Top Gun Maverick. Be honest. How pissed were you that they played beach football instead of volleyball? Like that's a goddamn thing. Did you see the new Top Gun?

[B]

No. I did. Yeah. Yeah.

[A]

Okay. And the iconic scene is beach volleyball. They replaced it with football. And we all know the only people that bring a football to the beach are assholes. We've learned nothing from Point Break.

[B]

I. I agree it should have been beach volleyball, but they're so bad at it, so it makes it a little. Look a little kind of stupid.

[A]

You're telling me the sexy beach volleyball scene from the original Top Gun is not good? Volleyball.

[B]

Pretty bad.

[A]

Oh, bubble bursting.

[B]

Like, I mean, couldn't they gotten, like, a body double in or.

[A]

I mean, at 5, 7. Tom Cruise is not going to look good on a volleyball court.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

In the movie Castaway, when Tom Hanks names the volleyball Wilson. Did that moment put beach volleyball on the map?

[B]

I hope not.

[A]

Beach Kings. Is that your favorite movie?

[B]

Oh, my God.

[A]

Do you love it?

[B]

This is the worst movie you.

[A]

Come on.

[B]

Actually. Okay. My partner at the time, his friend was a producer, and he was like, hey, you got to do a favor for me and do this movie. And I was living in Santa Barbara at the time, so I had to get up early, drive all the way down to Hermosa, and we shoot this couple scenes or whatever. I'm like, this is the dumbest thing ever. And I was like, all right. At least I'm going to get paid a couple bucks. So I get paid, like, I think, like 500 bucks. And the check bounced.

[A]

Whoa. Yeah, The Beach King check bounce.

[B]

I still want that money. Whoever you did never got paid for Beach King.

[A]

This is. This is. I tell you what, I'll boycott the movie now.

[B]

I appreciate that.

[A]

Have you had a shave dome your entire career?

[B]

2003. I did not. And then I shaved it.

[A]

Was it beautiful? Was it long? What'd you do?

[B]

I Held onto it way too long.

[A]

Listen, I was going bald at 25, and I just started. I started doing all this stupid stuff. The Propecia, the Rogaine. I did everything. I was like. And then once I got money, I was like, watch this. I'll fucking fix it.

[B]

You're back.

[A]

That's maybe what we should do right now. You should just do all the Hollywood procedures and then just get a huge thing of hair.

[B]

But it hasn't worked for LeBron.

[A]

No. You're better looking in person.

[B]

Ah.

[A]

I'm gonna say.

[B]

Appreciate it.

[A]

I got Jason Statham. How often do you go see a dermatologist?

[B]

Once a year.

[A]

You ever have any scares? No. You have any serious injuries, surgeries?

[B]

I had a blood clot in my shoulder, actually, two months before the London Olympics, which was kind of bad timing, but that was, like, the biggest injury I've had, I guess if you want to call it an injury.

[A]

Is sand, like, actually helpful for the joints? All that jumping on it?

[B]

Yeah. Compared to indoor 100? Yeah.

[A]

The endurance you must have. You train constantly year round.

[B]

Not so much anymore.

[A]

Good.

[B]

Yeah, but, like, when I was, like, playing the world tour, like, four or five times a week, and, you know, gym. Four week. Four times a week, so it's just gruel.

[A]

What about the bottom of your feet? You get pedicures?

[B]

No, it. They're all calloused over.

[A]

You have any feeling in your feet? No.

[B]

No.

[A]

Can you walk on, like, the hottest ever?

[B]

Yeah, I can, actually.

[A]

Are they gross? Are your feet gross?

[B]

They're pretty gross, yeah.

[A]

All right. I mean, I figured they'd be gross.

[B]

Yeah, they took a beating over the years.

[A]

Do your forms have any feeling left into them whatsoever?

[B]

Well, you get kind of used to the sting.

[A]

Yeah, I never did. That's why I didn't play. It's like it hurts.

[B]

First practice of the year would sting a little bit, and then it will go away.

[A]

Everybody on the show gets gifts. It's just stuff that lays around my house. Okay.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

This kid super made these for us. That's a toss show hat.

[B]

Oh, nice.

[A]

Oh, you're going to love that.

[B]

Thank you.

[A]

This. This company sent me stuff. I don't know who they are. Do you know who Space Coast Board Riders Club is? I don't know, but they sent me some, like, this stuff. It's no good. Extra large is way too big for me. I don't. I don't. I like a large, but I don't like it, so get rid of that then. I wanted you to have my get that off my. Throw that on the floor. You don't want any of that. Then I wanted you to have my UCF baseball jersey.

[B]

Oh, nice.

[A]

This is from my time playing baseball at ucf. I'm gonna sign that for you. I want you to. I want you to take this. This Tosh jersey home.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

You ever watch UCF baseball?

[B]

No.

[A]

Me neither. You're gonna love that.

[B]

Oh, thanks.

[A]

Then I wanted you to have my UCF singlet. If you ever wanted to wear something around the house just to make the wife laugh, you'll have fun with that, too. Oh, wait, wait. I forgot this. My wife has horrible posture. You said your posture's gotten better. She has this weird stupid pillow that she just lays on.

[B]

Oh. For her neck.

[A]

Yeah. I don't like it. I can't. I'm always picking it up. It's gone.

[B]

This is. I get so much free stuff, and I do the same thing.

[A]

You just give it to everyone.

[B]

Yeah. I don't want it.

[A]

You don't want. Of course you don't want it. Get it out of the house. One of your hobbies is disc golf?

[B]

Yes.

[A]

My question is. Seriously?

[B]

Yeah. I never was a big. In the disc golf world, they call it ball golf. I was never a big ball golfer.

[A]

I refuse to do that. That's like calling indoor volleyball indoor volleyball versus just. It's volleyball.

[B]

No, I hear you, but the disc golf world is kind of nerdy, you know?

[A]

Yeah, it is. Do you have, like, a bunch of clubs?

[B]

Sure.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah. It's actually. I mean, we're gonna get in some nerdy stuff here, but they actually have all. You know, they fly differently. Yeah.

[A]

Oh, I know.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I mean, I understand. I know what a putter is. And you.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah.

[A]

But first of all, are you good? And second of all, can you throw a Frisbee a mile?

[B]

I'm okay. And I throw it pretty good. I guess.

[A]

You do have a long wingspan, right? Yeah, it's, like, not proportioned to your height.

[B]

No, it's six. Nine exactly.

[A]

Oh, it is?

[B]

Yeah. Oh, yeah. They're just. My arms are long and skinny, so they.

[A]

Look, I thought I got bad intel. I thought they were seven feet. You play ping pong? I do tennis.

[B]

I grew up playing tennis.

[A]

Pickleball.

[B]

I haven't played pickleball yet.

[A]

You haven't played yet?

[B]

No.

[A]

You stick your nose up at it, don't you?

[B]

No. I don't know.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

I'm not.

[A]

You'll try it then?

[B]

Yeah. Yeah.

[A]

Oh, you'd be a monster at pickleball you'd be a monster. None of these things I can do, just so you know. I just love watching them. But tennis. Do you care about tennis?

[B]

Not so much anymore. Until once, Federer and Nadal and all those guys, kind of.

[A]

Okay, well, let me welcome you to the new crop because they're entertaining. Alcaraz is legit. He's fun to must see tv. But Jannik, sinner, tall, lanky, too thin, busted for steroids. Right. Got a slap on the wrist. Wasn't suspended like. Like, he should have because he was the number one player in the world. Anyway, I saw him young, I was like, he's too. He's too thin to be the best. Now he's the best in the world, but pop for steroids. This brings me to my question to you. Steroids on. In the volleyball world, there's never.

[B]

As long as I've been playing, there's never been someone that's been popped. But there have.

[A]

Do you get tested?

[B]

Oh, yeah.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Yeah, Yeah. A couple Brazilian players have been tested positive, but then they got kind of like a slap on the wrist as well.

[A]

Your parents, were they super proud of you?

[B]

No, they told me to get a job.

[A]

No, no, no. I'm not talking about the beginning.

[B]

Oh, yeah.

[A]

My parents told me I had. They said, we'll give you three months to see if this comedy thing works out. That was what they told me. And then just go back and get a job. I was like, all right, three months seems fair.

[B]

I had a similar conversation with my parents. I was like, give me two years.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Yeah. And my.

[A]

All right.

[B]

My third year on tour, I won my first proven.

[A]

But once you started shining, was it the best thing in the world for them?

[B]

No. My dad was like, hey, you owe me $2,700 now that you're making some.

[A]

Money, but how about now?

[B]

No. Yeah, 100%. They were, like, proud of me.

[A]

Do your kids know that. That you were. You're the best.

[B]

They know now that I've.

[A]

I'm going to beach volleyball because the other kids know. Their friends know.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

My kid, he'll talk to other kids and they're like. And like, you know, my dad can beat up your dad. And it's like, but my kids, like, yeah, but my dad's funnier than your dad. So you like being a dad?

[B]

I do, yeah.

[A]

Your kids are 11?

[B]

11 and 12. Yeah.

[A]

Awfully close in age.

[B]

Yeah. 14 months. We. For a minute there, we were like.

[A]

This is the window. Let's have children.

[B]

Yeah, we fucked up. But now they're, like, they're buddies, and so they're. It's all good.

[A]

Now, are they giants or.

[B]

No, my daughter is. Her body is, like, same. It's just all limbs and tall. But my son, he's a little over average, but nothing crazy.

[A]

Will you be upset if your son is short?

[B]

No.

[A]

This is a conversation I'm having. My wife right now. I'm tall. She's short, and my son is short, and I'm like, what are we going to do? She's like, I guess we still have to love him.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You think you'll ever not play volleyball?

[B]

When I'm done playing professionally, I will not. I mean, I got coach juniors, so sometimes I'll, like, hit it around with them a little bit. But that's on women's net. I don't jump, but like, to go play for fun. That wouldn't be.

[A]

Huh? What about. What about what Karch is doing? You think you'll ever go that route?

[B]

I mean, indoor or the indoor route? Like, I don't know much about indoor, really.

[A]

I'm in. But. But coaching in general, there's just not.

[B]

Enough money, really, to do it. I would do it. A professional team would be fun, but, like, I would have to travel a lot, and.

[A]

I get it.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Do you hate traveling now? Have you gotten a fan?

[B]

I'm not a big fan.

[A]

I despised it.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I mean, after a while, 20 years of it, and I was like, okay.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Well, Phil, thank you very much for being on the show.

[B]

Thank you.

[A]

I appreciate it.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Well, anyway, want to thank Phil for being on the show. What a delight. Ucf. Two UCF boys hanging out. Just. Just sitting there riffing. He was setting them up, you were spiking them. Spiking them down. We were going on two. These are just terms I learned. Anyway. All right, let's go. What is it? Next week is the announcement for the big tour. Wow. I cannot wait for this tour. I know you're excited. Yeah. You're a ball of energy trying to find love for my wife's cousin Amanda. Yeah. Got some new voicemails.

[B]

Yep.

[A]

Let's hear them.

[B]

It's a dog. It's Tyler from Pittsburgh. I figured my fiance was gonna be on her lunch break, so I called her and asked what she thought on adding a potential horse girl into our family. Honestly, she didn't take it well at all. And she asked why I even thought it was okay to bring that up to her, so I probably shouldn't have done that.

[A]

I think it's Funny that you did.

[B]

And you realized it. That's a good sign.

[A]

Yeah. He wanted to see, hey, am I engaged to somebody that gets it and you're not? Maybe if it doesn't work out with your fiance now you can dip your toe into the horse world.

[B]

Come on over.

[A]

Come on over. Saddle up.

[B]

Here's another one. Howdy, Tanner. 30 years old, pilot, 64290, balding. Negative on equine experiences. We would get along because I will leave you alone while the wives go on excursions and try new things.

[A]

Oh, man, that guy gets it. He's concise. Just nails it. Says he has no horse experience, but yet says, howdy.

[B]

He did.

[A]

Yeah, that's good enough. I think if you say, howdy, good enough.

[B]

Yeah, that's horse experience.

[A]

That'd be fun to have a pilot in the friend group. Six, four, balding. We're like the same person. Or. He said six, two, balding.

[B]

Six, four.

[A]

He said six, four, balding. Good. Then neither one of us are going to see each other's bald spots. We're, like, looking eye to eye. Yeah, I like this guy. Yeah, maybe he works out. All right, see you next week.